The expression, "government is of the people, by the people and for the people" is known to most of us. This concept seems to express a lost meaning in that it has become, "for the people" only. We are told our vote counts and that what we need will be provided. Legislation and other governmental actions have become responses to requests of pressure groups supported by "good old boys", "fat cats" and "spin doctors". We are told that the actions performed in this way are good for us. One of the problems is that so often there are laws passed and the funding to support the required actions is not supplied, or the funds are "borrowed" to be paid for by future generations.

We need to rid ourselves of the people who legislate in this manner. Here are definitions of these persons who are responsible for the way we are. The "good old boys" are persons in governmental positions who have been elected to serve a term of office, but who have been reelected so often that we have forgotten that the purpose of elections is to keep the power of government within the hands of people and not with the men who abuse power. When they misbehave they claim to be innocent, justifying their actions by their "experience" or blaming the act on bureaucrats whom they have selected because they are supporters who agree with them.

"Fat Cats" are persons, groups, and businesses who support a candidateâ€™s campaign fund. The reason for their support is not altruistic, they want to ensure that actions will provide protection and/or capital gain for themselves. It is obvious to me that such funds might be better spent helping people in need or funding societyâ€™s needs in public life.

The third group are the "Spin Doctors" , these are persons who campaign for candidates. They write speeches that persuade, they arrange appearances that put the candidate in the public eye and generally, in this media thinking day, find ways to gain an election. The benefit to the public is not the plan, the idea is to elect a person and gain power for a party.

These persons are part of the reason we no longer have a nation that is "of", "by" and "for". The failure of the public to vote is probably the worst problem of all. Potential voters who complain about the lack of influence by their vote need to vote anyway. The power of the voting booth is large and we need to make it as large as we can,

We need to become participants instead of receivers. The Good Old Boys need to be voted out and when that happens we need to limit terms of office holders. We also need to do something, although I donâ€™t know what, about campaign contributions. The work of the Spin Doctor needs to be recognized for what it is, propaganda. Knowing that it is propaganda would enable us to ignore it and rid ourselves of it by neglect.

We need to vote and encourage others to vote. We need to communicate with all of our elected personnel, not just in the interest of a private concern, but to let them know when we like what they do and when we donâ€™t like what they do.

Two things, then, work to rid ourselves of the persons who abuse the power of their elected office and get the public to communicate in the voting booth and by e-mail or letter.

This column is written to remind us all that our government is of the people, by the people and for the people. Our own neglect to use our powers are out and politics becomes a tool not a weapon and justice is present for all.

With tongue in cheek, I would suggest that what we need is public servants, not fix-er-uppers! â€˜Nuff said?